Wemby's Historic Playoff Debut! Tim Duncan's Record Falls /VIDEO/

He tallied 35 points and five rebounds, leading his team to victory at the Frost Bank Center, which was packed with Spurs fans in striped Fiesta-themed jerseys. The atmosphere perfectly matched the moment, as this was the team's first playoff game since 2019.

Wembanjama wasted no time getting into his rhythm. He scored 21 points in the first half alone, setting an NBA record for points in the opening half of a playoff debut, and sent the Spurs into the locker room with a double-digit lead. This broke the previous record of 20 points held by Kyrie Irving and Brandon Jennings.

Wembanjama shot an impressive 8-13 from the field in the first 24 minutes, effortlessly doing a little bit of everything, including completely outmaneuvering Deni Avdija to set up a powerful dunk in the first quarter.

However, Portland opened the second half with an 8-0 run, cutting the deficit to just one possession and forcing a Spurs timeout before three minutes had even passed in the quarter. The lead they had built in the first half vanished almost instantly.

Wembanjama didn't score a single point in the third quarter, but he didn't need to. After nearly squandering their lead, the Spurs responded with a 13-4 run, extending their advantage to a maximum of 15 points in the final minutes of that period. Then, just a few minutes into the fourth quarter, Wembanjama went to the bench, waving to everyone after blocking Jerami Grant at the rim without even leaving his feet, which sparked a fast break and an easy layup that put the Spurs up by 21 points.

Following Portland's 8-0 run, the Spurs launched a massive 32-13 run to regain complete control of the game. From that point on, they simply maintained their lead to secure the victory and take a 1-0 lead in the series. Avdija led the Trail Blazers with 30 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists in the loss. Scoot Henderson added 18 points. Portland shot a mere 26% from three-point range.

Wembanjama's 35 points were the most scored by a Spurs player in their NBA playoff debut, though it still fell short of Luka Dončić's absolute record of 42 points. Wembanjama was also named a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year and league MVP awards on Sunday. Stephon Castle and De'Aaron Fox each added 17 points alongside Wembanjama's 35, while Devin Vassell finished with 15 points.

The Spurs still have a long road ahead to win their first playoff series in nearly a decade. Sunday night, after all, was just Game 1. But Wembanjama didn't flinch in his first taste of NBA playoff action, and the Spurs, largely thanks to him, look like legitimate contenders in the Western Conference.

Wembanjama surpassed Tim Duncan for the most points scored by a Spurs player in their first playoff game. The NBA announced that Wembanjama eclipsed Duncan's previous club record of 32 points, which he set in 1998 against the Phoenix Suns. Duncan finished that debut with 32 points, 10 rebounds, one assist, one steal, and two blocks.

This is the kind of milestone that immediately resonates with Spurs fans because of the name Wembanjama surpassed. Duncan remains the benchmark for modern Spurs greatness, so every time a young star breaks one of his club playoff records, it carries more weight than a mere statistical note. The fact that Wembanjama did it in his very first playoff game only adds to its significance.

Wembanjama finished with 35 points, five rebounds, an assist, and two blocks in Game 1, with Game 2 also set to take place in San Antonio.

VIDEO Heart-stopping finish: Charlotte dramatically eliminates Jović's Miami from play-in!